The convenience store clerk gives me a strange look but I ignore him. People look have been looking at me weirdly for the past year and a half. I got used to it. Well actually Chloe made everyone else stop being so obvious about it. See the thing is, I've been mute for the past year and a half. Technically I can speak but my anxiety and the pressure just... Pushed me to absolute silence.
Chloe took it better than anyone. She's never asked me to speak, she immediately defended me to anyone and everyone else who pressed me to speak again. She even helped me learn asl. If it wasn't for Chloe I probably would have gone insane.
I'm lost in my thoughts about Chloe and if I should buy her a slurpee too so I don't see her until it's too late. I very nearly crash into the back side of some girl. I barely twist out of the way but I still end up brushing up against her awkwardly and stumbling to catch myself. I turn to apologize before freezing.
Of course. Victoria chase raises an eyebrow at me and makes a face like she's smelling garbage. She's only 12 and acts like she's queen of Arcadia bay. "Oh look it's the mute."
I shrug before quickly signing 'nice to see you too.'
Victoria sighs. "You know I don't know what the hell your doing right?"
I almost smile before signing back ' yeah but I do, stink face.' She sighs long sufferingly.
"Just get out of my way Caulfield" she says, shouldering past me. I let her go. She was surprisingly nice today all things considered and unlike Chloe, I avoid confrontation at all costs.
I make my way to the back of the store and grab a slurpee, filling the transparent cup with a rainbow of flavours. Even if the drink tastes kind of funny I like the way it looks. I'd take a photo if I had my camera with me. Instead I take it up to the counter and pay before heading outside back out into the hot and muggy heat.
I took my bike here and I don't want to risk dropping it so I sit on the curb to drink. It's cold and it feels nice on my skin when I touch my forehead to it. I only get to sit in the quiet and enjoy my drink for a few minutes before Nathan Prescott and his gang of bullies show up. I try to make myself seem invisible. Nathan likes to pick on me for no apparent reason. Chloes gotten into more fights with him than I can remember. Normally I don't need Chloe, but Nathan actually scares me and he's violent. I find myself desperately wishing Chloe were here while I keep my head down and hope that just this once he'll ignore me. Of course I can't have that because the instant he spots me a sick smile spreads across his face and he makes a beeline towards me.
"Hey mute freak!" He calls out. I ignore him hoping he'll just go away. He doesn't and soon him and his goons have me surrounded. I can feel my heart thumping hard as an inevitable bout of anxiety makes an appearance. "Freak! Hey! I'm talking to you!" He says, getting closer and making me edge back.
Shakily I raise one hand and clumsily 'what do you want...' He growls and slaps my hand away making me flinch.
"No one understands you stupid mutie, so quit doing that and answer me when I'm talking to you." I can feel tears pricking at my eyes. Being forced into speaking always pushes me to the edge and I find myself wishing I could just tell him to go away. He smacks the slurpee out of my hand and pushes me hard, making me stumble and fall, scraping my hands. I can't help it when I begin to cry, curling in on myself to try and hide. Nathan and his friends laugh and I rub at my eye.
"Look at the cry baby!" He laughs. I sniffle as he continues to laugh. He stops suddenly though and I don't want to look up. "Hey Victoria! Check out the loser-"
he's cut off by Victoria herself. "Leave her alone Nathan." She says. I'm stunned and Chance a glance up. She's standing defensively in front of me and Nathan looks shocked. "It's pathetic that you have to pick on someone who can fight back. I mean really it just makes you look stupid. Your not even brave enough to pick on someone who can stand up for themselves. Go away and leave her alone." Im pretty sure Nathan made me hit my head and I'm hallucinating because there's no way Victoria chase is defending me right now. Nathan grumbles and he leaves, all his friends following him.
Victoria waits until he's out of sight before she turns and squats in front of me. I instinctively flinch and Victoria seems to soften. "Stay here." She says before getting up and strutting back into the store. I sniffle and rub furiously at my eyes to try and clean myself up before Victoria comes back.
She returns shortly and crouches in front of me again and grabs my hands and starts cleaning the scrapes. She's gentle and it comes as a bit of a surprise to me. Victoria's always been loud and rather harsh so to see her so tender is different. It's a good kind of different.
She finishes with my hands and starts to clean my face. She wipes my tears away and I actually feel better. "There." She says as she stands. I stand as well and glance briefly at my slurpee, now just coloured ice half melted and splashed all across the hot asphalt. I bend down and pick up the cup and throw it in the trash with a sigh. Victoria watches me with a look on her face that I can't read. The sun hits her face and hair at just the right angle to make her look like she's glowing and I'm struck with the want to take her photo.
"Come on." She says and grabs my hand and pulling me back into the store. I'm both confused and curious so I let her. She pulls me back to the slurpee machine and pulls out a plastic cup the same size as the one I had and pushes it into my hands.
I'm confused now. What is she going for here? I put the cup on the counter and shake my head and hope she understands. She rolls her eyes and I sigh, trying to think of how to show her what I want. An idea comes to me and I take my key out of my pants pocket before turning them inside out to show her. 'I don't have any more money.'
She rolls her eyes once more before taking the cup and pressing it against my chest. "I figured you could only afford one short stack" short stack? That's a new nick name from her. One that is surprisingly not at all malicious but kind of sweet. "I'm buying you a new one so hurry up and get it before I change my mind." I can't help but smile at her and lightly touch her shoulder as a thank you.
She grumbles but I notice the tips of her ears are pink and I think she's blushing a bit. That's weird. I brush it off and get my second slurpee. I only get two flavours this time so it'll taste better before I follow Victoria up to the counter. She grabbed a small package of trail mix for herself. She pays for both items and I follow her back outside where she gingerly takes a seat on the curb. I sit next to her and take a sip of my drink, it's nice and cold and feels great in the heat.
I lightly tap Victoria's shoulder to get her attention. When she looks at me I sign 'thank you' but her face scrunched and I know she didn't understand. I try and think of a way to thank her without using asl or my mouth. Victoria eats her trail mix while I think. An idea comes to me and I excitedly tap Victoria's shoulder again. When she looks at me I grin and press my hands together like I'm praying before bowing. I hope she gets the message and after a few seconds she does. Her ears turn pink again and she looks away.
"Your welcome." She mumbles. I bit my lip and try and decide if it's worth the risk. Chloe once told me that I was always a rather touchy person, but ever since I became mute it was amplified, I always wanted to be holding her hand or playing with her hair. So when Victoria looks at me and I chew my lip and shyly open my arms in the universal 'hug?' Gesture, I pray she doesn't laugh in my face.
Her expression is unreadable and I can feel the panic and anxiety rising. I'm less than a second away from running away when she clumsily and a little roughly accepts my hug. It's awkward at first, Victoria is too stiff like she's never hugged anyone before but then she relaxes and even snuggles a little closer.
I smile and press a little closer. It feels a bit weird to hug someone who less than an hour ago didnt particularly like you, but Victoria actually seems to be enjoying the contact. When we pull away I can't keep the smile off my face and her cheeks are pink. I only hesitate a few seconds before scooting over and in the dust between us I draw in the dirt the word 'friends?' She looks at my and I smile again, albeit more shyly. She huffs and twists her hands together before glancing at me and huffing again.
"Alright short stack, but get on my bad side and I'll dump you in the dirt." I light up and grin, ignoring her threat.( her voice wavered and she couldn't meet my eyes, more insecure than threatening if you ask me.) without thinking I grab her hand and squeeze before letting my mind wander.
What a strange day. Strange but not unpleasant. In fact, I sneak a glance at Victoria who's staring at our joined hands like she doesn't understand. A strange but potentially amazing day.